CASE STUDY

Ulsan Technopark – Automotive Innovation Parts Center (APIC)

KoreaAutomotive

PULSE Platform, LDS Shakers, Arrays, Transducers

Ulsan Technopark’s Automotive Innovation Parts Center (APIC) provides test services for its customers who are mainlymanufacturers of compononents, both Tier 1 and Tier 2. Brüel & Kjær’s PULSE platform, LDS shakers, arrays and transducers are allused at the facility for automotive NVH vibration testing, environmental testing and material test.

Photos courtesy of Ulsan Technopark

Ulsan Technopark

The Ulsan Technopark (UTP), established in 2002, is jointly ownedby the Korean government and the Ulsan City Authority. Its goal is tosituate resources such as universities, businesses and researchinstitutes in one place, and become the centre for technologicalinnovation, providing building facilities and equipment for research,testing and production.

The Automotive Innovation Parts Center

The Automotive Innovation Parts Center (APIC)located at Maegok-dong, Buk-gu, Ulsan, is UlsanTechnopark’s automotive research facility. It fosterstechnological innovation, quality improvement, andbusiness establishment support of automotive partscompanies in the Yeongnam region of Korea. The facility, covering an area of more than 55000 m2, has atotal floor space of over 19000 m2 and cost KRW 124 billion for the infrastructure and KRW 48 billion for theequipment. It has more than 60 employees, all with university degrees.

Its main focus is to provide test services for its customers who are mainly manufacturers of compononents,both Tier 1 and Tier 2. In addition, UTP also works for Korean automotive manufacturers includingSsangYong Motor Company, Hyundai Motor Company and Renault Samsung.

Today, UTP places a strong focus on Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (HEV) and Electrical Vehicles (EV), and isaiming at becoming the Korean competence centre in this field.

Quality Matters

Fig. 1 Andrew Kim, Test & Reliability Chief Manager at UTP

Andrew Kim, Test & Reliability Chief Manager at the Ulsan Automotive PartsInnovation Center (APIC), worked for Hyundai Motor Company for 10 yearsbefore joining UTP in 2004. With a Masters in Mechanical Engineering fromPusan National University and currently working on a doctoral thesis, Andrewwas highly influential in the design and commissioning of UTP’s state-of-the-art test facility. The facility includes a hemi-anechoic chamber with a cut-offfrequency of 125 Hz and a background noise level of less than 20 dBA, fourclimatic chambers, a state-of-the-art crash test facility, a hydraulic roadsimulator and a multi-axle hydraulic system for durability testing.

Andrew says, “Before joining Ulsan I worked for Hyundai Motor Company for10 years and used Brüel & Kjær products and solutions almost exclusively”.“At UTP,” he says, “we have a high focus on automotive NVH vibration testingfor life-cycle and environmental tests”. Andrew is very influential in advisingcustomers in choosing test and measurement systems. He says, “In fact, it isnot uncommon for our customers to purchase solutions that have been usedfor their projects”.

UTP currently has two PULSE systems, which were bought fouryears ago – a 17-channel C-frame and a 34-channel D-frame –and they have plans to invest in more. Andrew continues, “I’mespecially impressed with the PULSE platform, both hardwareand software, and we are now moving forward to use PULSEReflex Core and Modal for post-processing. We’re also veryinterested in Brüel & Kjær’s unique expertise in arraytechnology”.

2

HT

L

2010

-10

Fig. 2 The NS-STSF system with scanning robot

UTP has both a Non-stationary STSF (SpatialTransformation of Sound Fields) array with scanning robotand a circular array that is used for Noise SourceIdentification and sound power measurements in UTP’shemi-anechoic chamber.

Other Brüel & Kjær products used at UTP include anImpedance Tube for material testing. LDS shakers areextensively used – a V875 for durability/life cycle testingand a V9 with a climatic chamber for vibration testing (bothR&D and durability/life cycle). In addition, Brüel & Kjærmicrophones, accelerometers and power amplifiers areused exclusively.

Product quality is vital to UTP. Andrew explains, “ The purchase price ofBrüel & Kjær products and solutions is high but the quality and reliabilityare excellent, and therefore, together with accurate data far outweigh theinitial cost”. “In fact”, he concludes, “UTP also has systems from one ofBrüel & Kjær’s main competitors, but our test engineers much prefer theease of use and functionality of PULSE”.

EADQUARTERS: Brüel & Kjær Sound & Vibration Measurement A/S · DK-2850 Nærum · Denmarkelephone: +45 7741 2000 · Fax: +45 4580 1405 · www.bksv.com · info@bksv.com

ocal representatives and service organisations worldwide

BN

088

1–

11© Brüel & Kjær. All rights reserved.